DNA spray system effective at preventing robbery, according to National Police

Rates of theft have fallen up to 65 percent in stores that have the technology installed

Shifa Rahaman

According to a report released by national police force Rigspolitiet, the new DNA spray system, used as an anti-theft measure by banks, supermarkets and other institutions, is proving effective at deterring potential robbers from carrying out crimes.

Read more: Danske Bank to prevent ATM thefts with DNA spray

Rigspolitiet conducted an experiment testing the effectiveness
of the technology in 42 grocery stores around Copenhagen and found that in some cases the rates of theft fell by as much as 65 percent.

Better safe than sorry
The report, which was released in conjunction with the Confederation of Danish Enterprise and the Danish Association for Safety and Security, found that institutions employing the measure have reported a significant drop in the number of thefts.

“DNA spray works to deters thieves from committing the robbery, so it has great crime prevention value,” said lead researcher, Rune Holst Scherg.

The technology, which works by surrounding the robber in a cloud of invisible spray containing a unique DNA signature, lingers on the body of the suspect anywhere between four to six weeks and can be traced on clothes for up to a few months.

Since each spray has a unique DNA signature, a database can be used to trace it back to the store in which it was set off.

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